Unusual
by CrackerTales
Summary: After another failed mision, the Delightful children from down the lane return home to find a strangly curious father. (In Which father learns some things about his children).


Good Day, Dear People! Here you have my first KND fanfiction. In this opportunity, you will be reading about the delightful family and my interpretetion of them. I should said this takes place before the last two seasons.

The Fandom had apparently, accepted Ashley as the headcannon name for the blonde girl, so I am using it. The other names are cannon, according to the internet.

 _KND and all their character were created by Mr. Wartburton._

Unusual

By Crackertales

The children walked to the front door, slowly and uneasy. Their limps were sore, low were their spirits. It was not the first time those kids next door forced them walk in shame back home, but they just couldn´t get used to it. There is no way they could ever get use to humiliation. But the whole thing was over and know they had to face him and his rage, and his disappointment. They would face him together because that´s how they do this things, and everything else. Together, because that´s how they feel stronger. They kept walking, passed the hall and went into the stairs. He was not in the office so they assumed he must have been on his bedroom. They hesitantly took the first step up, and in silence, they ventured into the upper level of their home, nervous, afraid, but finding comfort in each other.

He was, as they predicted, in his room, he answered immediately after the first knock on his door. His voice sounded calm but they were not taking any risk; when they got in the room, they did everything in their hands to be as far from him as they could.

"Hello, Children" he spoke to them, no alteration in his voice yet

"Hello, Father"

"Where have you been?"

No answers came from the children's mouths, they remained in silence trying to figure out how to said it without reveling what everyone there already knew

"WELL?" his voice came like thunder sending shivers down the kids spines, now he was angry, they knew it would come to this point, it was only a matter of time

"w-we were fighting those… those…" Their voices shaking and their tongues were starting to feel numb. They feared for the loss of the ability to speak. Father stood in front of them, his hand on his pipe, one of his eyebrows raised. He was getting sick of all failing this situations happening over, and over, and over again.

"You" he said interrupting the children with his firm and strong voice "had a little encounter with the kids next door and fail to destroy them, AGAIN!"

The five children lowered their heads, their eyes were looking at different directions

"Yes, Father" they finally said completely ashamed

"See that?" asked the man in front of them "That wasn´t hard to said, was it?" But the children did not answered nor take their gazes away from the floor

"It sure wasn´t that hard to guess" their father words came almost in a whispers, it was directed more to himself than to them, but the kids heard it anyway and they all clenched their fists and bite their lips in frustration.

"WE TRY, FATHER!" they all explode "WE REALLY DO! EVERY SINGLE TIME WE PLAN, WE PREPARED AND FIGHT WITH ALL OUR WILL, FATHER!" tears were starting to run down their cheeks, their red eyes and face showed their anger and frustration "it is not fair" they said in a quiet sad voice.

By his part, the adult who just witnessed their outburst was pretty surprised with their reaction. But found his composure soon after. His dark figure kneeled in front of them and looked at their blue gazes before they got lost in the floor again

"Who said it was fair" and the tone in his voice surprised the children because it wasn´t cruel nor ironic or angry, but sincere and almost sad, and his kids notice how unusual was that. When he stood up and tried to get away he found himself caught by the arm by the little hand of one of the kids

"Are you well, Father?"

"Let me go" he said in cold harsh voice

"You sounded sad" was their answered "is there anything we, your children, can do…?"

"Yes! You could Let Me Go"

"We are just trying to help, Father" the child´s hand was still holding him, the man was losing his patience

"Let go"

"But…"

"Bruce!" he yelled an all five froze in place "Let me go!"

And so the blond boy released Father´s arm and his eyes join his sibling´s in the floor, once again

"Sorry, Father…"

"There is NOTHING wrong with me, I actually had a very good day"

"Good to hear that, Father"

"I was just trying to be considerate, yeesh!"

"Thank you, father"

"And quit that whole talking together thing! It´s driving me crazy!" Said the man raising his hands in the air "Just for a moment, just for today, speak in-di-vi-dua-lly" he marked his words to make the point as clear as possible, but the following silence of the delightful children make him wonder if the was not clear enough. They just stood there looking at each other, trying to think in to what to do next, one of them bite the insides of his cheeks and thoughtfully look to the celling

"What?" Asked Father "are you suddenly mute? I know you can do it, I have heard you before"

Still no answer

"Ok, then" he said taking a sit on the edge of his bed, his square chin resting on his fist, his golden gaze pierced on the children "we would do things differently today" he wait to see any reaction from the youngsters and when it did not came, a long and kind of awkward silence followed

"Right now you stink so you are going to bath and change… SEPARETLY" he resumed talking "and in 20 minutes I will meet Lenny in the kitchen, Just Lenny"

surprised eyes look at him almost scandalized as if he had offered them a share of his pipe. He paid little attention to this exaggerated reaction and continue with the unusual instructions

"The rest of you will wait for 10 minutes, and THEN you will sent another one of you, who would it be is up to you"

Silence

"understood?"

"Y-yes… Father" still that hint of doubt on their voices, still answering all together. The grown up let go a tired sight

"Lenny, Understood?"

"Yes, Father" answered the boy after a minute of silence in an unsure, quiet voice.

When Lenny came down to the meeting point, he found Father sitting at the kitchen bar, a bunch of chocolate chip cookies were placed in front of him and his pipe was resting next to a milk glass

"Come here, have a cookie. I bake them when you were away"

"I bet they are delicious, father" said the boy still unsure of the situation, he walk to the bar moving awkward, feeling a little exposed, and yet he manage to went and sit in front of the tall dark man

"I thought the oven was.. not functioning" he commented right before taking one cookie and placed it in his mouth

"My powers are more than destructive" another awkward silence disguised by triviality.

"So…" said Lenny with his slightly hissing voice "you want to talk about something in particular, Father"

The answer did not came immediately, for Father was still considering the answer

"I don´t" He said after a while "Not really. I just had a craving"

Lenny was not sure if he was referring to the cookies or the unusual urge to talk to them separately. He somehow knew, deep inside, that his Father felt lonely and unsecured, he has been for a long time. He and his sibling notice that in the way he seem to need constant approbation. Lenny placed a shy smile on his face for him

"They´re delicious"

"Huh?"

"The cookies"

The golden eyes than many times have filled the young boy with fear got wider in surprised and happiness

"Really? Don´t you think they are too sweet? When I was making them I had the thought I may have use too many chocolate but then I said ´What the heck?!´and poured the whole jar into the dough"

"Scandalous"

"I know right"

it was truly a rare moment to see Father this happy, Lenny was almost sure that there was a smile right now on his face, his eyes and eyebrows told him so. Father must have notice his own excitement and felt a little embarrassed in front of the child

"So" he said after clearing his throat "What´s the deal with the helmet, huh? You wear it everywhere!? Are you some kind of a safety freak or something? Not that I´m calling you a freak or anything" he drank from his glass of milk immediately after talking, and in the meantime, the boy brought his hands to his beloved helmet and tried not to be offended by Father´s lack of tact, it was an easy thing to do for they have been told more horrible things

"Well, Father… I feel like is part of me now" he explain and the inquisitive gaze of the adult make him go further in the explanation "Besides it is useful, our missions are most dangerous sometimes…"

"With those Kids next dumbs you never know" a clear female voice interrupted the boy´s talking and force both Lenny and Father to turn their faces to the door. There she was: long blonde hair, big blue eyes, and a perfectly tidy pajamas

"Ashley" Exclaimed Father and his tone was glad "Come and join your old man and brother for a cookie"

The girl obeyed at once. She walked silently to the bar and took a piece of pastry into her delicate white hands, as soon as she took the first bite her eyes filled with horror and a gasp escape her mouth

"Father! The high contain of sugar of these cookies is certainly unacceptable at this time of the night! It could interfere with our sleep. We, as well behaved and delightful children must always have at least our 8 hours of sleep every night in order to…"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know" interrupted her father "I was in a craving for sugar and chocolate and may have used twice the recommended portions"

"Twice?" said the girl arching her eyebrow

"ok, trice" confessed father "I used three times more chocolate and sugar, deal with it, kid"

Ashley close her mouth in astonishment, this was very unfamiliar for her

"Are you…drunk, father?

The shadowy man eyes became saucepans in surprise

"No, Of course not, do you think I would drink with you kids here?!"

He was getting angry, and Lenny drop his gaze, everything was going swell until his sister have showed up and have question their father decision to add a little more sugar on the cookie mix.

"I am sorry, father" said the boy with a low, sad voice. The man look at him half confused, half annoyed

"You don´t have to apologize for HER!" Lenny shrugged "oh, man! I might not be drunk but I sure need a drink now!"

"I wasn´t my intention to question your morals, father" apologized the blonde girl "but the situations is so unlikely in so many levels that I felt the urgency to ask"

"Yeah, I suppose I would have done the same thing in your place, kid" Ashley just look up to him, his body had relaxed no flames were around him anymore.

The Girl decided that for her own good, and her siblings´, she should let the incident behind. She still did not know if it was smart to carelessly enjoy Father´s company without being in constant fear of a ball of fire coming directly to her face. But when she thought about it, she couldn´t remember of a single moment in which he had actually sent them a ball of fire, he has done that to their enemies, but not to them. With this idea on her mind she forced herself to relax and take another cookie

"I was about to ask Lenny what happened today" Both children turn to him at the sound of his smooth voice "You came back late and smelling worse like a sewer"

"Well" they said together "We didn´t expect those dorks to bring…" and then, they interrupted themselves at the realization of what they were doing. With a polite hand gesture, Lenny asked his sister to continue the narrative

"We…" she started still feeling unsure and weird "We did not expect the kids next door to bring their little skunk pet, it was an unpleasant surprised"

"They are always minding OUR business" said Lenny with annoyance "It´s always their fault we fail in our missions"

"Well, sometimes it is your fault" the three persons sitting at the kitchen bar look up to see the newcomer standing by the door, his brown hair still wet and leaning a little to the left, allowing one of this eyes to be visible.

"It was one time!" Lenny defend himself "And how I was supposed to know they will blow my cover?!"

"We are supposed to be way smarter than them"

"Now, David, Leave your brother alone" The tall boy look at their father "Even if it was his fault is not something I want to discuss today. Here, have a cookie"

And so, David took the sweet his father offered him, and after looking quickly at his siblings as asking for their opinion, and receiving both good and not so good as answers, he decide to try it. The moment he did, he felt how his taste buds become numb thanks to the sweetness of the cookie, a sugary rush, which he could only describe as electrifying, went across his spine, and for a second he could have sworn he saw stars. It was the best thing he has ever had, and the smile that widely appeared on his face was proof of that.

"Did you make these, Father?" Wonder and admiration were noticeable in his voice , it was weird to hear him this mesmerized

"Yes, you like them?"

"This are the most perfect cookies ever!"

"Why, thank you!" he said smiling "Your sister here thinks they are ´too sugary!´ " and he raised his hands in a mocking way

"I Don´t deny they taste good" the girl with pink bow defend herself "I just said it was too sweet for us kids to eat at this time of the night"

"Oh, My! Too Sugary!" Father mocked her, sarcasm was noticeable in his voice, his movements were exaggerated. Both boys find this very funny, but neither of them laughed "Excuse me! I didn´t know I had an agent form the sugar police living under my roof!"

That´s right, Ashley" said the boys together " you´re such a party pooper" and she exaggerated an offended gasp

"I?" She said placing her hand gracefully on her chest "If I recall correctly it was because of you, David, that we had to let those pathetic ice cream men had all the ice cream"

"It´s not my fault I am allergic to nuts"

Father, who had been half listening, almost felt down of his chair in surprise

"WAIT!" he exclaimed a little to rough and the three kids froze immediately in their places "David is allergic to nuts?"

"Yes" was the unanimous answers

"Oh, good to know" it was clear that the news had been a surprised for him and it was this which surprised the children the most

"You didn´t know, father" asked David incredulous

"No, I didn´t" And his son gaze went blur "How I was supposed to know? I…I adopted you" The air in the room suddenly felt heavy. The fire powered man could not help but feel a guilty for not knowing. He was the adult in the house, he should know this kind of things! The disappointed look on the children did not help with this unpleasant sensation

"Well, Then it was a good thing you didn´t get to eat that last birthday cake, huh?" he chuckled trying to mask his unconformity, the children laugh lightly too, it was an awkward laugh. Father had a sudden realization. Man! Was he awful!

"Is there any other medical issue I should know about?"

The children look at each other doubtfully before giving any answer.

"You know what?" said father arching his eyebrow "I am not taking any risks, tomorrow you all are getting medical tests"

A worried and slightly terrified look took over the kids features, because as any child, they weren´t excited about the idea of going to the doctor! The table was cold, the gloves felt awkward, the smell made then dizzy and the needles were something they preferred to avoid. In a desperate attempt to save their little bodies form a medical visit they spilled the beans

"Bruce snores, Ashley´s skin is more delicate than the rest of us, Constance and Lenny are healthy, aside his braces"

It was a fast answer said in just one breath, when they finished talking they wait for a reaction form father, he was just starting at them, as if processing the information

"You are still going to the doctor, you know?"

"Yes, Father" they said completely disappointed

"Hello, father" said a shy voice distracting the attention of the displeasing topic. When they look at the recently arrived girl, they notice that she was nervously playing with her hands and her eyes were avoiding his

"Constance" exclaimed the man a little surprised "Is it 10 minutes already?, Time sure flies when you are knowing important and necessary stuff"

"No father, I just lost track of time" she claimed and waited for a violent reaction. She closed her eyes and fist in anticipation

"All right then" was the only response. When no other word came from the man´s mouth, she went to join the rest of the children in the kitchen, David passed her a cookie, she thank him with a little nod. Now, to said that father was not expectant of what her reaction will be, would be as false as a 5 cents dollar bill, he may be evil but that didn´t mean he couldn´t enjoy somethings in life! Bakery was one of those things. Every time he was feeling blue, he found himself in the kitchen looking for some sweetness to light his day, when he could not find any, he would just make them.

The girls reaction to the cookie was not as scandalized as Ashley´s, nor as happily zappy as David, she just smile and nodded making clear that she enjoyed the treat, father nodded back at her. No further words were necessary.

"So, those kids next door ruined your plans again, didn´t they?"

"I hate them so much, father" said the newcomer with some sourness in her voice. The rest of them agreed in silence.

"Those little… people always have something that can stop you, don´t they?"

The children nodded

"So, thus time was… a skunk?"

Maybe was the tone of his voice, maybe was the fact that the anger had already washed out of themselves, but at that moment, in the kitchen, in front of their father and enjoying what may be the sweetest chocolate chip cookies ever created, the delightful children realized how silly that day´s mission had been. Trying to avoid what seemed to be a very embarrassing conversation, the kids focused their whole attention on their glasses of milk. Lenny´s glass was already empty and he realized this a little too late, but he pretend to drink anyway because he considered that stop doing it, would be even more awkward.

"Father" said the last of the delightful, standing on the mark of the door "I, um. I know is not 10 minutes yet, but I got thirsty and…"

"Said no more, my child!" interrupted the man "Come here, have a glass of milk and one of these" and so, he offered him a cookie. The boy took it in his hand and carefully, he inspected it, he looked a little like one of those archeologist you see in movies, focus and a little intrigued by the piece just founded. No one could have ever blame him for this reaction, Father bake regularly, but it was rare that he encouraged the children to eat his sweet creations, especially at night.

"The reactions so far are good, scandalous, great, and ok, I suppose. I´d like to know yours." commented the man "Come on! Try it!"

And Bruce took the cookie in his mouth. The first thing he notice was that it was one of those homemade, soft cookies, the next thing he notice was the exaggerated sweetness of the dessert, not that he was complaining, but he found this so surprising that his first reaction was to move the cookie away from his face and look at it. Father leaned towards him expectantly, one hand on his knee, the other on his pipe

"It is sweet" said the boy in a monotonous cold voice

"Yeah, but is sweet good, or scandalously sweet?"

At the question Bruce noticed that his sister Ashley huffed in an annoyed fashion, he could guess the reason

"Both!" he answered his father "Is so sweet is scandalous, but it is good"

"Good" Exclaimed the adult feeling victorious, a happy expression appeared on his face "So what do you said, kids? Can I open my own bakery now?"

" You can do what you want, father" Again, they were answering all at the same time, together and perfectly synchronized. Father open one eye and inquisitive, looked at them

"I want to ask you something, my children"

"What is it, father?"

"How you do that?"

And the kids look at each other pretending not to understand

"That synchronized… thing you do" explained father "I am curious. How do you do that? Do you read each other´s minds or something?"

"Ahhh…" began the five kids unable to complete their answers in a way that could make sense. How can their father expect then to answered something they themselves could hardy understand? They did not remember how it started nor when. All of them tried and fail, to find an explanation for this… anomaly.

"I…" they began all together "Don´t know"

"Care to explain, David?" ask father leaning back in his chair

"Yes, Father" answered the tall, brown haired boy adding a little nod to his answer "The truth is, I really don´t understand. It´s like there is a connection between us, something that allows us to do it"

"So, it´s like telepathy, then? Constance?"

"I supposed, Father" answered the girl with the piggy tails and the round glasses "when we are together we moved like just one body, and think as just one mind…"

"Bruce" Called father announcing who was to continue with the explanation. The boy understood the command

"But is not like we can know what the other one is thinking, unless he or she allows us to, of course. Nor we plan everything we are going to said ahead of time…" the boy made a pause to considered his words, he wanted to explain it as clear as possible but wasn´t sure if someone who had never experience it would understand. "…it´s like when you move your hand or breath…"

"Not a conscious decision or motion, you just do it" Came interrupting the voice of the girl with the pink lace. All eyes placed now on her

"Ashley, continue"

"Yes, Father" and she smacked her lips "It´s not like one think 'let´s said this or do that' and the other agree. It´s like talking normally, but…"

"All together" said the children at once. Father has actually a little amused by this little demonstration.

"Something to add, Lenny" Father called the helmet boy, who look back at him with his brow slightly frowned, and a twisted mouth that no one could see, thinking of any contribution he could made to the conversation. When he thought he had found the perfect example he talked

"I supposed is like your powers, Father"

And this little statement made every child in the room to look expectantly at the fire controlling man. He, on the other hand, has been taken with his guard off and didn´t know how to react to the boy´s words. The more he thought about it, the more sense it made. When he produced all his fire balls and burst into flames, he did it the same way he breathed or walked, or even blinked; all natural and almost by instinct. Before this unusual moment and conversation, he had never thought he and the children had something in common other than their evil minds and the deep hatred to the kids next door.

"My!" he said "I suppose you are right, Lenny. I too don´t over think it, I just do"

"And was it always like that?" asked them all, for it was something they were interested in knowing

"No" he answered immediately "When I first knew it was like… that I got this power, I burn some things up. Like trees and an old wooden house… I think it was abandoned, though"

And he tried to remember the exact moment that little and flaming incident happened

"So" asked Constance taking him out of the memory lane "you could not control them from the very beginning?"

"No, time had passed before I realize how this…" and he made a little pause to make a fire ball in his hand, adding so, a little graphic explanation to the answer and at the same time being a little overly dramatic "…worked. It took a while but I am a master now"

"That´s weird" commented the brown hair girl "We could control it from the beginning, since we got…" and suddenly she stop herself, aware of what she was about to said. The other kids noticed. and became starlet they have promised to never tell father, never in a million years! They avoided fathers questioning eyes. Silence followed, a cold, uncomfortable, and painful silence that filled the kitchen.

"Wait!" said Father more shocked than angry "You kids… You are aware of…?"

No answer came. It was more than complicated

"Children?" his voice was more astonished than mad. If what he was thinking came out as true, it would crush him. It already had placed a heavy weight on this heart

"It is complicated, Father. Very, very complicated" said them together with a gloomy feeling taking over their voices and features. Father placed his elbows over the bar showing them that he was interested in their story, but they doubt before continuing. The fear of his reaction and the things he could do to "fix" this little problem, totally terrified them... And still they talked "We... know. We remember, Father, we remember who we were and what you did"

The most shocking thing was that their words were not filled with anger nor hate, their voices were low, calmed and monotonous. This make father felt uncomfortable

"Are you…?" he found himself unable to finish the sentence, but he pushed away every fear he was feeling right now. He really wanted, needed to know "Are you angry? For what I…?"

"We, The Delightful Children, are not mad, nor we hate you" and Father felt some relief in his chest "It is them, the ones who despise you"

And he look at them in confusion. their blank expressions didn´t reveal a thing

"Wait a minute, who is 'them'?"

"Why, Sector Z, Father" this words make him drop the glass he was holding, a crashing sound followed, glass was laying in the floor and milk was spilled. The Children first reaction was too stand up to clean the mess. Father stop them

"No! Stay there, Don´t mind the mess and keep talking"

"But, Father, we can´t allow the house to be messy"

"I said STAY THERE AND CONTINUE!" The children looked at each other "Sector Z?"

A defeated sight before speaking again

"They are not gone, not completely, they are still here" and they point at their heads "But don´t worry, father. They cannot get out. They 'were' and are not anymore. it is us, your children, who are here now, who are in control"

"So, what are you trying to said is that they are in… there, like, as a memory?"

"No, father" said the kids "We meant to said they are still here, and so are we. WE and sector Z are different people now. They are trapped would be never be completely gone. We see their memories, we remember their friends, their fears, their desires, but they have no effect on us. We just see but feel nothing."

Now father was more interested than afraid. When he first turned those bratty twerps into well behaved children, he never thought of the secondary effects, to be sincere, he never thought there would be any! He just thought it would be a simple changing with no going back and no regrets and he was proud of it; he, himself had designed that machine, he had worked to pull it all together, and he had tricked, no, he did not tricked anybody, it have been an accident. The machine was ready but no stable, and the children ended there together by accident… A planned accident. Whatever went wrong with his machine combine their minds, and allowed those Kids next door brats to stay.

Father didn´t know what to say, or do, or even think. His five children were watching him in silence, they could see him shudder, succumb into desperations, uncertainty and fear. They could see him collapse in silence, even when he tried to hide it form them.

"Father" they called him and their voices were calmed and almost gentle "We shouldn´t have told you this, Father. It´s too much, even for us"

The older person accomplish somehow not to break down. Sitting straight on his chair he tried to distract the uneasy feeling that was running across his spine by smoking a little. The children were offended with his actions, it was not healthy for them, but did not complain. Father felt his head spinning and he felt a hole on his chest. He was glad to find something he and his children had in common just moments ago and now it all did not matter anymore, because the delightful children, very, very deep inside themselves, were still part of that dreadful organization, and that make him sick.

"Yes, this is too much! No one would never get you, freaks" there he was again, being angry for something they were not responsible for "And do you know what else is? Getting to a point in your life when you discover that you have inherit your father´s 'talents' and still…" But he stopped himself. Now was him the one giving too much information and he was not discussing his unresolved insecurities with these kids! Or anyone for the matter! He looked at them and see their expectant eyes, but no childish eyes have moved him before and will not start right now.

"Why am I telling YOU this?" he hit the bar with one hand and the room went dangerously hot. Bruce had to take his hands out of the table; its metallic surface burned him.

"Father…"

"I am done for tonight!" he said suddenly angry. Flames covering his body, fire in his eyes. He stood up and walked directly to the door, every step was heavy and his movements were tense "I would expect you to DESTROY those PESKY LITTLE KIDS by TOMORROW! And I would not tolerate ANY DUMB MISTAKE!"

Once at the door he dedicated one last gaze to the children. He found no fear on their eyes and he did not know how that made him feel

"I am going to bed... GOOD NIGHT!" and he left

"good night, father" answered five confused kids when he could see them no more.

He stepped into his room stomping and, literally, busting into flames. Nothing could escape his unraveling rage, not his little table nor his chair. Not even the framed pictures he kept on a little piece of furniture besides his bed. He burned, and threw, and broke. He stomp and kicked and yell. But that was no tantrum! He was convinced that that was an adult man letting out his rage. He picked up a picture in his hands and got to look at it before smashing it into the floor. It was a picture of his children, it wasn´t a special one! Just a regular picture of the delightful children with their regular faces, but it made him feel so weird inside, he couldn´t break it! Instead he sat on the bed and place it facing down next to him.

He calmed down, but there was something inside of him that keep bugging him. He tried to identify the feeling but could not. The news the children told him that day had a strange effect on him. He would never accept it in front of them but he was terrified at the moment. If those Sector Z kids happen to somehow take over their bodies, he may lose his biggest and more competent allies ever. And he couldn´t let that happen. If he had to re construct that thing again, he would do it.

Maybe if he keep the delightfuls happy, they would continue to domain. Maybe he could give them more days out, maybe he could be less strict and more sweet, maybe that way they would want to stay home, maybe that way they would keep the cursed sector Z inside their heads, hided, where they belonged… Maybe someday all this will make some sense.

The more he thought about it, the more sicken it became. It was driving he berserk: The kids that got in the chamber never really disappear, they were still there, inside his very own children, his perfect, beautiful and delightful children. Those troublemakers were living inside their heads, trapped like animals, patiently waiting for some opportunity to crawl back to the absolute control of bodies that were no longer theirs. He had to do something soon or he may lose them.

Before his disturbed mind could come up with some crazy evil plan to keep the status quo in his weird family, someone knocked his door and, without thinking, he order the person who did it to come in. There they were, his five children came to his room for the second time in the day, but this time they did not brought bad news about failure, but half gallon of ice cream

"It´s chocolate, Father" said them all "We know you like it more than the others"

He raised his eyebrow before taking his pipe out and accepting their meaningful offer, he let himself relax once the first full spoon was in his mouth

"Father, if we did anything to upset you…"

But he raised his hand to silence them and pinch his nose bridge; the kids didn´t know if it was because of his current emotional state or some brain freeze.

"Children, sit down" and they did, they sat down on the floor in perfect formation as always: David on the back, Bruce on the front with their siblings in between them.

"Look at you, sitting on the floor like some rebellious kids!" He said with an ironic tone adorning his voice

"We are sorry father" they said in perfect synchronization, yet they did not move from their places, father sent an annoyed gaze in their direction

"What do you want, my children?" asked him sitting in the floor with them, legs crosses and his hand went directly to the pipe, ice cream and spoon next to him.

"We only wish you to be content, father, that´s why we…"

"No, no" along with his word a spark appeared between his fingers, not fire yet, just the beginning of it, but it was enough to catch their attention. Father did not let the spark die in the act as he would in other situations, neither he used it to attack or rather, terrify the children, no, today he´ll try something different: he make it grow a little larger and play carelessly with it between his hands. He continue with this while speaking

"No, I didn´t meant that. What I want YOU to tell me is what… the… heck …you ..want"

"We… don´t understand, father, what are you talking about?"

Instead of answering he send the fire ball he was playing with to cover them. The flames changed from red to green and the children soon realized it did not burn, not hurt them, this was the moment when they relaxed. Lenny even tried to play with the green fire himself, but he found it hard to keep between his hands

"We didn't know you could do this, father" they said smiling

"Well, I didn´t know you could still remember who you USED to be, so I suppose we are even"

The children were violently taken back to the reality, no green fire amused nor amazed them anymore. Their eyes went coldly to their adoptive father, and once they meet this eyes, theirs searched for the floor.

"Are you mad for that"

"Yes"

"It is not something we have control over, it just happened"

"Do you like it"

"Huh?"

"Do you like remembering? Seeing the memories of… who you were?"

Five frowned brows appeared in their faces

"What on the earth are you trying to ask us, father?"

" The memories!" He was losing his patience, a headache was slowly taking over. He raised his voice "Do you like them? Are they enjoyable or happy or anything positive?"

Where the calm of the last minutes had gone was a mysterious for the kids, who got closer to each other seeking for protection. Father calmed down a little, he let the flames covering his body die.

"Well?" he asked still annoyed. The Children look at each other trying to find the right words "If they are good memories, don´t mind them! I can give you all you want to replace them" the kids become extremely interested in the offer, but did not talked yet.

"What? aren´t you planning to said anything? It´s not for good children to ignore an adult question"

"They are not exactly happy, father" answered the children seeing the true in his threat "They are more like a torture" the children thought for a moment if it would be wise to keep talking. But they knew father´s temper and he seem to be strangely interested in this particular subject so they decide that the best thing to do is to come clean and hope he would react in the less violent way possible. not that he was violent all the time! Sometimes he was actually enjoyable, especially when they were planning together the destruction of the KND.

"It feels like hearing a cry in the night" continue the kids "desperate and painful. Like in those horror movies you won't allow us to watch"

"Well" said father casually "that sound very disturbing. No wonder why you… HEY! How do you know how those movies are?!"

Nervous giggles came from the mouth if the children the minute they realize their mistake, That day had been definitely of bad timing.

"They are not always like that, though" they return to the previous topic in a desperate try to distract father from the horror movie issue. "It happens once in a while and is different for everyone. Most of the time they feel only like a memory"

"If that´s so" said father taking his ice cream and spoon again in his hands "Maybe we can do something to make it stop"

With this words he got the children complete attention, the idea of get rid of those kids next door they used to be was too tempting and wonderful to ignore

"And how do you plan to do that, father?"

"I could built the chamber again and try increasing his power"

"But father!" argued the children "it is not safe! The chamber is unpredictable and the results may not be as satisfactory as the last time"

"Well, then" said father a little annoyed "Do you geniuses have any other ideas?"

He waited for an answer that seem to never came, they spend long minutes reflecting on the problem trying to come up with a solution for it. At the end, the only solution they could think of was to wait, to let time take the memories and the desperation of their past selves away from them. Father, was not to trilled with the suggestion, but agree to not try anything until they were absolutely certain they have found the right answer.

"All right, all right!" exclaimed the adult after a little discussion that took place in this room "I would not re-built the chamber. But I still think you, Children, need new memories, good ones! Ao they become stronger than the ones of the brats, huh? What do think?" Of course, this was father desperate and almost pathetic attempt to keep the children with him, to prevent the distant memories of Sector Z to take over this kids and made them miss what they had. He didn´t like losing and he was planning to play all his cards to keep the delightfuls at his side.

"Sound fine, father"

"Good! what do you want?"

Five hands went to five chins and five mouths twisted in a thinking fashion.

"Well, what is it?"

The kids look at their parent with doubtful eyes, they observe father for a brief moment and then shocked their heads in a negative way

"What!?" said father, half curious, half offended "What is it? And don´t said nothing because I know there is something!"

"We think is too much, father" they answer at last giving their backs to him so he could not see their faces, their smirking faces

"Too much?" asked father in incredulous and exaggerated fashion "Do you see the house we live in? The robots I pay for so you can go and destroy your enemies? The clothes you wear? Ask for ANYTHING you want! MONEY IS NOT A PROBLEM!"

The children congratulate each other on their minds before faking an unconvincing tone in their voices to answered

"Well, if you said so…" they turn around and assaulted him so quickly, and so closely that only a 'what the he…' could escape father lips before they stated speaking fast and with a single breath "They are presenting Carmen in the theater this month and we really, really want to see it, we didn´t ask you before because we thought you would be too busy to take us, but now that you said we can ask for anything we wondered if you would take us, please"

At the end of the sentence they added a sweet wide smile. Father need a few minutes before he assimilate what they have asked for.

"Carmen? The opera?" he asked, the children nodded happily "That is it? You want to go to the opera?"

"Yes, father, please"

"Man, you kids really are weird" but that did not affect the delightful children at all, they were used to it, other children call them freaks all the time, father would not be the first nor the last. They continue to look at him closely, he used his hand to put some distance between he and the five kids. "And when is this happening?"

"A week"

"And you want me to go with you" five heads nodding answered the question "I think I can manage. Where did you said is this opera playing?"

"in the Opera, father"

"Yeah but in which theater?"

"The Paris Opera" they said a little bit nervous. They waited for father dramatic answered

"What?" he asked incredulous "The Paris Opera? France?"

"You said anything we want, father"

Yes, he had. He look directly to their innocent looking faces and the sweet smiles that were placed on their mouths, it was hard to believe this were the same five children who tried to fried their enemies just a week ago, true, they fail, but he was proud of them for coming up with that plan. But going to Paris in a week needed planning and reservations and they were still in school. He look at them again, have their eyes got bigger?

"All right, you win! But have to promise me you would do homework they give you at school while we are gone"

"Yes, father"

"And you have to keep doing your chores"

"yes, father"

"And not sulking when I ask you to go to the store or something!"

"Yes, father"

"And… " but he could not think of anything else. The true was that he himself was too a little excited to go to Paris, away from the problems and the twerps.

"So, We are going to Paris, father?" asked the children just to be sure. Father look at them, ten blue eyes were looking straight at him

"Of course we are going! Anything for my children!"

"Thank you, father" and they launched themselves into his arms without previous thought. This cause them all to almost fall complete into the rug, but father somehow managed to keep his balance. The hug, though, was a little awkward, they were not used to them.

When they let go, a light blush took over their faces. Father stroked Bruce hair, making them to close their eyes in shyness. It amused him how they were behaving like a single person when moments ago they were talking individually.

"Well, if that´s all" said father trying to get out of this peculiar situation "I´ll be in the kitchen, I better get that floor clean…"

"Wait! Father I have a request!" said five voices urgently, when father looked at the children they were extending their hands toward him asking him to stay in the room. After a brief second, four of the children look around confused, they shake their heads vigorously and turned to their brother

"Lenny!" they called a little bit angry "Do not speak for us all, If want something, ask for it alone"

The boy with the helmet immediately relaxed form the tense position he had taken, he let his shoulders drop

"I am sorry" he said a little too sarcastically "I wanted to get Father´s attention and I forgot to warned you guys"

"Do not speak without thinking! it´s not wise" answered the other four kids "Especially when you are using other´s people voices"

"That´s quite rude, Lenny" Father had interrupted their little discussion, the children went immediately silent "But I supposed you had a reason, huh? what is it, my boy?"

"Oh" answered the boy "It is nothing more than a silly request, father" and then he went silent for a moment reconsidering his petition. His siblings started to looked a little distressed, their patience was drawing thin

"Lenny!" they snapped, father took a step back for safety "First you use our voices and now you close your mind to us! That´s so rude and childish"

"Well, excuse me, I didn´t want to bored you with my thoughts"

Witnessing this whole scene, father was both amused and perturbed, And he thought the toe nail collection was weird.

"Well, what were you going ask father?"

Lenny stand straight and tall, in his face a smile has formed, even when no one could really see it behind the red helmet, it was quite obvious it was there

"You see, father" he started to speak "my request is no more than a delicious birthday cake"

Five confused gazed where looking directly at him, four from his siblings, one from father. The boy in the helmet decide it was better to further explain his petition "You see, We haven´t had the opportunity to enjoy our birthday cakes for a while, those kids next door are always in the way"

"True" interrupted Bruce, his brow was frowned "I don´t understand why, it is our birthday…"

"If we don´t want to share our cake is our business" said all five together. Father pipe return to his mouth

"So you want cake?"

"yes, father" answered Lenny

"What kind?"

"Chocolate, if you guy guys agree" they did, they liked chocolate "Nothing big, just a regular birthday cake to enjoy with my family, no big fuss about it either, we won't tell anyone"

"But, Lenny!" said the other kids "What´s the point of having a birthday cake if we can´t make other kids miserable about it?"

"Enjoy it" said the boy as if it was the most obvious thing in a world (which actually was) "Besides, it is my birthday the one coming in a couple of months, think of this as part of my individual birthday present"

Five little heads turn to see father, one of them was hopeful, the other four just plain curious. Strange thing to ask in the Delightful house was that cake, but Lenny had very good arguments for it. Besides, he asked for it for the sake of his siblings; they grieve every lost cake and even when they did not recognized it openly (because well behaved children do not make big tantrums), they would love to eat it at least once. There was a time in which they plotted to steal someone else's, like those kids next doors have stolen, or rather destroyed, theirs. They haven´t done that only because good behaved children are no robbers… they might send someone else to do it, though.

"Ok" said father in the loud voice he normally used "You have your cake"

Lenny smiled under his helmet "Thank you, father" was his answered

"Even better" continued the man "Tomorrow it´s Saturday, and since you don´t have to go to school, you will have birthday cake for breakfast… shut the heck up, Ashley!" he Snapped before his proper pink-bowed daughter could make any cometary on the nutrients lacking breakfast he was planning for the upcoming day "You gonna have cake, I you are gonna LOVE IT!"

And so, his whole body was on fire. And the kids were no scared. It not the kind of fire he produced while angry or frustrated, that one destroyed and burn, this was a different kind or fire, a kind the children have seen before and enjoy watching. It was a fire that came when he was excited, or extremely happy or eager to do something; it was the same kind of fire he produced when they planned their attacks against the incredibly annoying kids next door; it was a fire that didn´t really burn, but just warmed up the things. They liked this fire, it was passionate, it was contagious, it was awesome, and it was beautiful.

Father listed to his delightful children laugh, freely and without care. Perfectly synchronized and a little bit maniacal. He loved when they did that! He loved their super villain facet! Their little evil minds, their well-planned and very elaborated plots, their perfectly delightful, yet evil laughs. At the moment he didn´t care if they have failed constantly, he didn´t mind the destroyed robots and clothes, those KND brats would someday succumb before them, it was only a matter of time.

And as for those cursed kids who lived inside his children minds, he did not mind them at the time, he was certain that his children were stronger, smarter and more keened to live. The resent worrying and sadness he had experienced did not matter anymore. It did not matter if sector z was still there, he know his children will not go away anytime soon.

Their evil laughs told him so.

...

* * *

I love the Delightful children and Father so much, they are in my list of favorite villians.

So... Thank you for reading. I hope you have had a delightful experience.

CrackerTales


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